Audiobook Review: A Welcome Grave by Michael Koryta

It’s hard to write a truly original mystery novel in this age. With the vast number of mysteries out there, even what you think is a truly original plot has probably been done multiple times. A Welcome Grave, the third novel by Michael Koryta featuring Private Investigator Lincoln Perry, is chock full of oft used mystery plots and subplots. Lincoln Perry is a disgraced former Cleveland police offer, who turns PI. He’s not well likes by the law enforcement community. He get’s sucked into a crazy situation by an ex-fiancé, leading the cops to suspect him of multiple crimes. Lincoln must find a way to clear himself before the cops lock him up. Not too original, right.

Yet, this is what Koryta excels at. Taking time traveled tropes of the genre, and slicing and dicing them up. With a flick of his wrist, the path that you think you are traveling down gets yanked out from under your feet leaving you disoriented. Koryta offers a terrific mystery here, with twists you expect turning into turns you never see coming. Lincoln Perry is not your typical “broken former cop” although on the surface that is what he seems to be. Yet, dig down deeper and you have more complexity and emotion coming from this character than you original expected.

Scott Brick is a professional narrator, and pretty much hits the right buttons. There is enough dialogue here for Brick to work with, without becoming either stagnated or overwhelmed. Brick picks out the right rhythm for the character. Sometimes Brick’s cadence can become distracting, but the book has enough change of pace not allow Brick to get too comfortable or complacent.